The Way Hulk Hogan Should Have Looked

When the WWF made the movie No Holds Barred, which was the very first movie they ever made, it starred Hulk Hogan. Except, they didn't make the character in the movie Hulk Hogan. They changed his name to Rip and his catch phrase was "Rip'Em" and his championship belt was white instead of black. It seemed odd at the time to see Hulk Hogan that way but looking back now I realize it was a much better look and character. It actually seemed to suit him. Hogan is a California surfer type of guy. He is still a bleeched blode beech dude. His character should have been based on that, not an Irish chacater named Hogan just because Vince's Dad needed an Irish wrestler at the time. 

It was as if Vince let Hogan create his own chacter from scratch for this movie, and this is what Hogan wished he could be. It was him, as a wrestling character. And it just seemed to be much more natural. 

The white belt really seemed to stand out at the time, and it was something that would catch on in the years to come. The champion that was set to replace Hogan was the Ultimate Warrior who was credited with being the one to change the belt colours, but I guess Hogan did it first. Then years later Shawn Micheals was credited as the one with the white belt idea when he changed the Intercontinental Championship. Then decades later, Cody Rhodes became the IC Champ and said he wanted the oldschool HBK belt and brought back the white strap. I think it still looks great today, and Hogan should have stuck with it back then. 

Hulk Hogan basically ended his first run as WWF Champion so that he could go make this movie No Holds Barred. He lost the match and title to Andrea The Giant on Saturday Night's Main Event. Andrea then sold the belt to The Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase. This of course was rejected by the WWF President and this caused the Wrestlemania IV tournament. Hogan helped Macho Man Randy Savage win the belt and Savage carried the belt all year while Hogan went off to become a movie star. 

I can't say if Vince knew the movie wouldn't be a success and Hogan would return, or if Hogan planned to return even if he became a huge movie star. But I can't help but think that Hogan would have rather been a movie star. But that didn't happen, he still made movies, but none of them seemed to be big hits. So Hulk Hogan returned to the WWF and regained his title from Macho Man at Wrestlemania V, the new belt that Savage had recieved at Wrestlemania IV, which was my favourite championship belt, the 'eagle belt' as it has come to be known. 

I think Hogan should have returned with his new colours, the blue and white instead of the red and yellow. It always seemed he should have been more of a red white and blue American hero type of character anyways, as well as a beach boy surfer guy. And I think the white belt would have suited that character. They could have sold all new toys and merchandise for the new character. It was a great idea. I don't know why they decided to just go back to the old gimmick. I guess stick with what works. I don't know if I would have said change his name, but that is another debate.